Depression: What is depression, and how do we treat it?

What is depression?

Depression is when we feel stuck in sadness, emptiness, or heaviness for a while and cannot simply snap out of it. We feel hopeless, worthless, and guilty. We find it hard to concentrate, and the things that used to give us some joy have lost their shine. We feel tired, irritable and trapped. Sometimes we think of suicide or have ongoing thoughts about death.

Even when everything is going well, we can still feel depressed.

What causes depression?

From a physiological side, our brain chemistry, genetics, hormones, and medical conditions play a role in depression. Psychologically, we might have unresolved trauma, attachment difficulties, and high levels of self-criticism paired with low self-esteem. We could experience a stressful life event like the loss of a significant person, a divorce, or work stress like redundancy. Our environment might be abusive or unsupportive. We could lack social connections and be isolated. Then there are lifestyle factors that could impact our mood, like alcohol and substance use or poor diet and lack of exercise. Usually, depression has multiple causes.

How do we treat depression?

In therapy, we explore what causes your experience of depression. We look at the way you think, the things you do, your environment, the choices you have, and the opportunities for change. Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, is helpful in the treatment of depression. In my practice, I take a holistic approach to see what other factors we need to address to foster change.

Medically, depression is treated with a prescription of an SSRI or SNRI. Your GP can prescribe the medication. They can also give you a mental health care plan to access ten Medicare-rebated therapy sessions a year.